Satellite altimetry offers new opportunities for the synergistic use of geophysical measurements that can cover large areas and respond to subsurface conditions. Satellite altimetry data is available over much of the world's oceans. By studying the similarities and differences of potential fields among the regional settings of giant offshore oil fields, we can gain better insight about the nature of those fields that will help us find other fields.
Satellite altimetry is basically the derivation of the geoidal height (proportional to the potential of gravitation) by means of the comparison of two independent measurements. The first measurement is a satellite-derived measurement of the distance between the satellite and the sea surface. The second measurement is a tracking station network-derived measurement of the height of the satellite above the reference ellipsoid. The geoidal height is the difference between those two measurements. It is necessary to correct the satellite-derived measurement for the effects of tides, currents, and weather.
With satellite altimetry, like all other geophysical measurements, there is a need to calibrate those measurements. Software used in satellite altimetry tries to filter noise (wave and wind action) from the satellite signal to get a steady state signal that is fixed by the sea surface. Currently available data have marginal precision with respect to their use in geophysical exploration. The concept described below improves that precision.